Disenchanted
by halcyon calamity
Summary: As the one and only heiress to the Jeguk Group, Cha Eun-sang knows a few things about staying away from trouble. But for some reason, it seems that trouble - in the form of Choi Young-do - always manages to find her instead. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Disenchanted**

* * *

_Our story might just have a second act... let's hope it's not a tragedy._

* * *

"You are not going to believe what I'm about to tell you," Rachel moaned as she slid into the car. "I was so angry, I couldn't even call you last night to complain."

Eun-sang shook her head. "I'm sure it's not that bad. Should we wait so you can share with Bo-na?"

Rachel made a face. "No, she's going to school with Chan-young today. Serves her right for ditching us for her boyfriend."

It had become tradition, after all, for the girls to ride to school together in the mornings. Cha Eun-sang's mansion was the furthest, so she always picked up the other two girls on their way to school. It was habit, after so many years of them being friends, to arrive together. Now that Lee Bo-na had left them to themselves, it felt like a betrayal - no matter how much they approved of her relationship with Chan-young.

As they neared campus, the neighborhood Rachel lived in disappeared as the more crowded areas of the city flew by in the window. Living in a mansion did have its perks, but a downside was the sheer amount of time it always took to get to school in the mornings.

"_Mother's getting remarried!_" Rachel burst out, unable to hold the news in any longer. Eun-sang shot her friend a look of sympathy. Her parents had divorced not too long ago, and the long, difficult process had been hard on the heiress as well.

"How is the father-to-be, then?" she asked.

The other girl only scoffed. "You've met him before. The CEO of Zeus Hotels." Both couldn't help but shiver in unison. "He's intimidating as hell. And we're going to have to move in with him!"

The car was silent as it sped through the city. As it passed through the gates of Jeguk High School, Eun-sang finally commented, "It will be really good for RS International, at least. Your stocks are going to skyrocket after the press conference."

The heiress rolled her eyes. "The profit that RS International will gain is incomparable to the torture I'll have to endure." The vehicle rolled to a stop, and both girls smoothed their hands over their uniforms to flatten any creases before gracefully stepping out of the car. "I mean, being related to Choi Young-do! What sin did I commit to end up like this?"

_Choi Young-do_. Eun-sang tuned out Rachel's rambling as she pondered over the name. It wasn't one she recognized, but it felt as if she should know who it was. She was not one for caring about connections or faces - in their world, everyone had money and power, with the beauty to match. She only held those dear to her close to her heart. If she memorized every single student's name and face, along with their company, annual sales, and stock prices, she'd be unable to function properly.

Making their way into the building and through the halls, both girls straightened as the whispering of the other students, as usual, started up.

_Did you see RS International's fall line? It's so cute, Yoo Rachel was modeling it in-_

_Cha Eun-sang's skin is so smooth! What products does she-_

_Midterms are coming up, Yoo Rachel and Cha Eun-sang will be in the top five for sure-_

"Eun-sang-ah!"

Both girls turned at the sound of the name being called. The Chairwoman of Jeguk High made her way to the two, smiling as she did so.

"Rachel, you're looking more beautiful every time I see you!" Said girl smiled at the compliment and bowed her head. "Eun-sang, thank you for setting a good example for students and coming so early to school. The housekeeper informed me you already left when I was eating breakfast!"

"Yes, Mother, Rachel's house is in a different direction than the school and Bo Na's is as well," Eun-sang replied with a polite smile on her face. "I have to leave early so that both of them will be on time."

"Well, you left so early that I didn't have the chance to tell you at home. Won is coming back from California today; there was an emergency at the company that required his presence in Korea." The Chairwoman's own polite smile was strained at best. "I'm sure he'll be done by afternoon, though. He personally told me that he wanted you to drop by the Jeguk Group building after your classes."

"Thank you, Mother," Eun-sang said, nodding her head. The Chairwoman flashed one more smile before walking away; the students who had been silently watching burst into whispers once more. As soon as she turned the corner, Eun-sang's polite countenance dropped completely as she forcefully opened her locker.

"Why are you so angry?" Bo-na bounded up to the both of them, having just witnessed the interaction. "By the way, why do you call her Mother? Everyone knows you're not blood related. She's the third wife of your father, and you were born to the second."

"She _aske_d me to call her Mother when she first came to the house," Eun-sang sighed while grabbing the books necessary for the day's lessons. "She didn't ask Won-oppa because he was already old enough to resent her. She wanted me to accept her so that I would listen to her every word, and now I just let her think that I do."

"She tried to manipulate you," Rachel noted.

"_Tried?_ She still tries, to this day. The years have changed nothing," Eun-sang countered.

"What do you mean?" Bo-na questioned, furrowing her brow.

"Won-oppa would call me directly if he wanted me to come by the office. Secretary Yoon tells me everything about his whereabouts; Oppa's flight is still scheduled for Saturday. She essentially wants me to show up at the company and make a fool of myself." She definitely slammed the locker door shut, and everyone's eyes turned to her impassive face. "She's scared of what I can do once I take my birthright. Blood is thicker than water."

As she walked away from her friends, the other students parted to make way for her.

The one and only heiress of the Jeguk Group was _not_ to be taken lightly.

* * *

"Won-oppa!" Eun-sang called, immediately dropping her bag on the sofa and rushing forward to hug her old brother. "How was America? Did you get me any presents?"

"Of course presents would be the first thing you ask for," he laughed, affectionately messing her hair up as she ducked and pouted. "And it didn't go well as we hoped. The Hiltons were less than willing to sign the contract."

"What? That's ridiculous," Eun-sang said, pulling away. "Why would they do that? The contract was favorable to their side as well."

"The CEO of Zeus Hotels called in a favor with them, asking them to turn it down. He heard about the deal and he wants to secure a position. Korean and Korean companies joining forces will boost them to the international level. They've been itching to expand out of Asia for months now."

"You don't seem disappointed about it," she observed. "Is is possible that this is what you wanted all along?"

"Ah, little sister, why would you say that?" Won asked, smirking as he did so.

"The mall is being built in Seoul, in South Korea. Zeus is much larger than the Hilton chain in Asia," Eun-sang reasoned. "By going to Hilton first, you made it seem like a large international project that Zeus would inevitably want to jump on. Plus, Korean companies joining together only looks better for the Jeguk image."

"My little dongsaeng is so smart," he affirmed. "Anyway, CEO Dong-wook already called while I was on the plane. You and I will be playing golf with him and his son tomorrow morning."

"His son?"

"You don't know?" Won chided. "Yah, you should be making connections in that elite high school of yours. Don't be oblivious to everything."

"It's our family's high school. It's not like I could go anywhere else in Korea, and Father won't let me study abroad," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"Choi Young-do. He's your age, just returned from California this past summer after his father sent him there as punishment."

_Choi Young-do_. It was the name Rachel had voiced with disdain earlier in the week. Right; she and him were going to be stepsiblings after the marriage. But the thought of California stirred something deep in her memory. Choi Young-do… could it really be…?

* * *

Eun-sang and Won, dressed in their golfing attire, were already heading out the door the next morning when they were stopped by a booming voice.

"Leaving so soon in the morning?"

The two siblings turned and immediately bowed their heads. "Yes, Father," Won replied. "We have an appointment with CEO Dong-wook and his son this morning."

"His son?" Kim Nam-joon questioned, before his eyes landed on Eun-sang. "Ah, I see. Make sure you leave a good impression, Eun-sang."

She fought back the urge to roll her eyes. Of course her father would tell her that. He was adamant that Eun-sang be more social and secure an arranged marriage soon. In Kim Nam-joon's eyes, heiresses were prizes, tools used to build connections. He'd been disappointed when his second wife gave birth to a daughter instead of a son; he had been hoping arrange a marriage with RS International's new heiress at the time. When it hadn't happened, he ensured that the two girls spent so much time together that they became the best of friends.

"We'll be late, Eun-sang." She nodded at Won's reminder and turned to go, feeling her father's eyes on her back the entire way out the door.

* * *

His father, as usual, was instructing him exactly what to do. "I will be losing to Kim Won. Whatever you do, show your dominance over the girl. Make sure to leave a good impression on both; he's protective over his sister, and if he doesn't approve of you, an arranged marriage will have no chance of occurring."

"You do realize that you're basically telling me how to get out of this arranged marriage, right?" Young-do asked, looking into the distance.

"After all the time I let you play in America," his father threatened, "you better do at least one thing right. Jeguk and Zeus will go far together. Besides, the girl has high breeding. One of the best in her class, I heard, and she's best friends the heiress of Mega Entertainment and also, your stepsister. Take advantage of this opportunity."

_Cha Eun-sang_. He'd recognized her the first day at Jeguk, sitting all prim and proper in her seat and ignoring the rest of her classmates. He'd only ever seen her interact with the two aforementioned girls and that one social welfare student. She hadn't looked his way these past first few weeks of school, not even once. Hell, he and Bo-na had encountered each other a few times, and now Rachel was, unfortunately, going to be part of the family. And yet Cha Eun-sang, the golden girl, couldn't get off her high horse to pay him any sort of attention.

"CEO Kim!" His father yelled, holding his hand up in greeting. Young-do turned to face the newcomers with a less-than-genuine smile pasted on.

CEO Kim was walking towards them with a smile on his face. And Cha Eun-sang…

...stood frozen in her place, her eyes trained on Young-do.

An expression of shock rippled across her pretty features before the mask of indifference once again took over.

He couldn't help but smirk.

_So, you've finally recognized me? Let the games begin..._

* * *

_Yo. I finished college applications (while also keeping up with the show hehe) so this happened._

_If you guys haven't, check out sunkenshipsails' _Fallen Crown_ on tumblr. It's also a YoungdoxEunsang fic and it's not an AU, but rather a continuation of the show. It really inspired me to start writing for this pairing._

_I'm also thinking of doing another fic for this pairing that explores different AU's - college, fantasy, Hollywood, etc. What do you guys think?_

_Please leave a review._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disenchanted**

Chapter 2

* * *

_No one forgets a first impression._

* * *

_So you've finally recognized me? Let the games begin…_

Choi Young-do was pulled out of his own thoughts as Kim Won began to converse with his own father. His gaze, however, never pulled away from Cha Eun-sang's face, as she kept her eyes firmly trained on anywhere but him.

"I was surprised you accepted my invitation," his father was saying. "I thought you'd be still tired from your flight to make it."

Won's chuckle - _fake, of course_ - rang deeply. "You know as well as I do that we don't get time off work, CEO Choi."

His father smiled. "Don't think of today as work, CEO Kim. After all, all work and no play would make us dull men." He stepped aside and turned, lifting his arm as if showcasing the green, rolling hills of the golf course. "Shall we, then?"

As the two men traipsed off to the first hole and left the two teenagers alone, Young-do finally spoke, smirking as he did so. "Did you miss me much, _Cha Eun-sang_?"

She stared back at him blankly, tilting her head slightly to the right as if she was confused. "I don't think we've met before… what was your name again?"

His smile instantly dropped from his features. "Yah, Cha Eun-sang. Cut the crap."

She rolled her eyes and turned away. "Look, what happened… back then… officially doesn't exist now, okay? We're in the real world now. Games have no place here, _Choi Young-do_."

"So it was only a game to you?" He dramatically clutched at his heart, raising his eyes to look at the clear, blue sky. "I'm wounded by your words."

Eun-sang only scoffed. "Like it wasn't a game to you as well? You knew I lived in Seoul. You wanted to see if you could find me again, right? I refuse to play the mouse to your cat."

She twirled around and stalked towards the two adults. Choi Young-do stood in place, watching her go.

* * *

"Good game," His father was saying as he shook hands with CEO Kim. His satisfied tone was unmistakable. His plan had gone perfectly - he'd lost by a close margin to the other man, and Young-do had proven himself to be skilled at golf. "I look forward to meeting you in the office soon."

"I'll let my secretary know to schedule you in," CEO Kim replied, nodding.

"You played wonderfully as well, Miss Cha," the older man complimented. "It was good to see you again; I haven't seen you since the Jeguk talent show last year. You and Rachel played a duet together, if I remember correctly?"

"Yes, on flute and piano," she answered, smiling demurely. Choi Young-do couldn't help but be a little jealous that a man like his father was somehow more worthy of her bestowed smiles than himself. "You were accompanying CEO Lee that night. I heard about your recent engagement from Rachel; congratulations."

"Thank you, Miss Cha. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised you know, since you and Rachel are such good friends," he said, laughing quietly. "I suppose Young-do and I will be seeing you much more often, now that our families are uniting."

"Of course." Her smile seemed much more forced now.

As his father finally turned back to CEO Kim to finalize a few details about their next meeting, Young-do couldn't help but lean over and whisper softly into her ear.

"_Yes, we_ will _be seeing more of each other_."

* * *

"Lunchtime, lunchtime!" Bo-na cheered, grabbing her plate to fill it with food. It was Monday, the day after the golf meeting, and the four friends were in the buffet-style cafeteria.

Chan-young smiled at his girlfriend's cuteness and took the plate from her hands. "Tell me what you want and I'll get it for you."

Bo-na smiled even more brightly. "Okay!"

Behind them, Rachel and Eun-sang shot identical glances at each other and rolled their eyes. Chan-young and Bo-na had been dating for years now - Eun-sang had even introduced them - but they still continued to be sickeningly cute all the time. And while some people thought it was adorable, the two girls both had more serious, pressing issues on their minds.

The moment Eun-sang had returned home, her father had called for her from his office. Apparently, within the few hours she and Won had been gone, he'd managed to get his hands on as much information he could about Zeus Hotels and Choi Young-do.

Projected quarterly numbers and his troubles with school administrations were splashed across the white, crisp pages of the file. After middle school, he'd been sent to America after a particularly bad incident involving the Headmaster's new car - which was probably still sitting in a lake. But it was clear that his time there had just led to more run-ins - this time, with the police. It was unsurprising that he'd come back to finish his final year at Jeguk High.

Eun-sang had believed that the bad reputation he had garnered was enough to make her father stop pushing for an arranged marriage. But there had been one last page in the file that completely ruined everything - his IQ test results. Evidently, he was a certified genius, and Kim Nam-joon had been more than satisfied by his score. Combined with his cunning and fame - although more infamous than famous, really - Choi Young-do would inevitably lead Zeus Hotels to success. And if it was going to happen, then it had to occur under Jeguk Group's watchful eye.

Eun-sang had poured out her worries and troubles to the one person that would understand, who was coincidentally her best friend: Rachel. Both girls knew that the only thing worse that being related to Choi Young-do was _marrying_ him.

Rachel had decided that the only way to stop an arranged marriage was to get Choi Young-do to dislike her. If he didn't want to marry Eun-sang, he was willful enough to break off any type of engagement. They'd both seen that Choi Young-do was only interested in what he couldn't have.

It looked like Cha Eun-sang would be the mouse to Choi Young-do's cat, after all.

Suddenly jerked out of her own pondering, Cha Eun-sang felt a hand on her arm. She looked up from her now-full plate of food to see those dark, playful eyes again.

Choi Young-do was smirking as he pulled her away from her friends. Bo-na and Chan-young had finally stopped flirting, so shocked at his actions. "Come eat with me today."

Eun-sang glanced quickly at Rachel, who nodded slightly, before letting him lead her away.

He took her plate and set it down at a spot at the closest table - facing the buffet line - before pulling out the chair and gesturing for her to sit. She hesitantly did so, and he gently pushed in the chair before sitting down beside her. He propped his elbow on the table, resting his head against his hand so that he could properly see her on his right side.

"I'm surprised you're actually eating with me."

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked coolly, breaking her chopsticks and beginning to eat. "Lunch is nothing special, right?"

"Isn't it?" he challenged. "Everyone else seems to think so."

She was startled as she realized that everyone in the cafeteria had stopped talking, too busy staring at their table. Cha Eun-sang had never been one for caring about gossip, but for the first time, she felt… exposed. _Vulnerable_, even.

And a Queen was never vulnerable.

"It doesn't matter," she dismissed, popping another piece of food in her mouth and swallowing before speaking again. "You and I both know this is just a meal between…"

_Friends_. She didn't want to say it, because then it would make it true.

He noticed her hesitance and smiled again. "Oh, so we're _friends_ now? I thought we were something more -"

"_Acquaintances_," she rushed to interrupt him. "We're acquaintances." Inwardly, she cringed at her flustered tone. Not only had she left her weaknesses wide open for attack, but she'd basically escalated the tension. Wasn't the point of sitting here and eating with him to ease the tension, and hopefully, change his mind about her?

A presence stood on the opposite side of the table, as if hesitant to sit down. Eun-sang looked up from her food to see a shaking student, plate in hand, staring at her with wide eyes. His gaze darted from her to Young-do, as if questioning if he should sit down.

The room was still silent. Only the clinking of the boy's fork against his plate - caused by his quivering hands - could be heard.

"Cha Eun-sang, I hope you don't mind that we're not eating alone today," Young-do drawled from beside her. "But I invited a friend to sit with us, Moon Joon-young. I don't think you've met him before?"

She hadn't seen the boy before in her life. Her mind flicked through memories of charity events, balls, and grand openings as she tried to place his face to a company.

"You see, Joon-young and I both came to this school this year; that's how we bonded so quickly. But Joon-young here is a social welfare student. He's here, at Jeguk High, because of a _scholarship_," he sneered. "Can you imagine, your company's name being tainted by such a foul thing?"

Her anger was beginning to simmer, but Rachel, in the corner of her eye, shook her head.

Right. She was supposed to be boring.

"Yah, Joon-young. Sit down."

Silence.

"You don't want to sit down?" Two boys - lackeys of Young-do - appeared beside the social welfare student, forcing him to sit down in the spot across from Young-do, before they sat down as well.

Eun-sang hands curled tightly around her chopsticks, but she remained quiet, her eyes trained on her own food.

Young-do's friends began to throw food at the poor boy, even force-feeding him at times. She slowly turned her head to the left, gauging Young-do's facial expression and barely holding in a gasp.

He was staring at her intensely.

This was part of the game. He was curious about her reaction, and that was it. He was bored with the boy's torture now; he had probably been bored with it for weeks now. He was using it as a weapon in this war, and he wanted her to retaliate.

Rachel had told her to play the lamb, quietly waiting to be slaughtered.

But Cha Eun-sang refused to be the prey of the wolf.

No, in the society of the rich and famous, the heiress to the Jeguk Group was a born hunter.

Especially on her own turf.

"Get up." Her voice was so quiet that no one other than the people at the table could've heard her. The two lackeys stopped harassing the social welfare student and looked at her in surprise.

Cha Eun-sang looked directly at Moon Joon-young, before speaking again. "I said, _get up_."

The boy. terrified glanced at Young-do, who remained impassive in his own seat.

"_GET UP_!"

The boy quickly and clumsily stood up from the table, his gaze firmly on his own shoes.

"You are a student of Jeguk High," she admonished. "As a student of this esteemed school, you should be honored. Grateful, even. And being a student of this school," she stressed, "_you respect yourself as well_. Got it?"

Joon-young could only nod shakily, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Now," she continued, looking down at the two bullies still sitting down, "you both are _also_ students of Jeguk High. And yet you dare make such an incident and mess in _my_ school? You dare let your foul actions taint the reputation of _my family's_ institution?" She picked up her own plate on the table and walked around to the other side. "If you are all friends, shouldn't you be on equal standing with _Joon-young_, here?"

The curry on her plate slid precariously close to the edge as she aimed for the first bully's uniform. At the last second, however, she moved the position of the plate - so that there was now curry in his hair, instead.

"Oops, it seems as if I missed. Sorry," she said carelessly, before stepping to the other boy and dumping the rest of the curry in his hair as well. With the plate still in hand, she turned to look at the last person - the only one who truly mattered - who mattered in the eyes.

Choi Young-do sat in his chair, his arms crossed and with a bigger smirk than before on his features. _Shit_, she realized suddenly. _This was what he had wanted all along, right?_ Had she just unwittingly played into his hands?

It was too late to turn back now.

"Choi Young-do," she said assertively. "Do what you want outside of school; I don't care. But in the hallways of my school, you follow rules. You do what you're told. You reflect the first-place ranking that this school has in Asia."

The room was still silent as she left, with the doors swinging behind her.

* * *

"_Are you crazy?_" Bo-na shouted at her that very afternoon, when all three girls were lounging in Eun-sang's luxurious bedroom. "Yah, Cha Eun-sang, you're dead!"

"I don't think I've ever seen you so bitchy before," Rachel laughed. "I'm finally rubbing off on you. This is a miracle."

"Sorry… you warned me, really, but I just snapped! What the hell was he trying to do, make me sit there?" Eun-sang was pacing around, trying to make sense of what had happened during lunch.

"This is a problem, though," Rachel sighed, wiping away any last tears of laughter. "Now that you're fighting a war against him, you have to go all out and keep doing what you did today. That's the only way you can get out of the arranged marriage; prove you're above him."

"Above that elementary schooler? That won't be too hard, Eun-sang," Lee Bo-na tried to assure her. "He's the scum of the earth. Totally not worth your time."

"That's not what Father thinks, and that's what matters," she responded, rolling her eyes. She finally sighed and plopped down on her bed. "I told him to leave me alone and that what happened in California was nothing. Even if he wanted to continue our… whatever we are, why couldn't he have just started over? Why did he suddenly turn into the devil?"

"California? What?" Bo-na asked, furrowing her brow. "You didn't meet until yesterday, right? I mean, he's friends with Myung-soo and he never mentioned he knew you… _Oh my god_!"

"Stop speaking in English, it's annoying," Rachel said monotonously.

"Shut up. You love me, Yoo Rachel," Lee Bo-na retorted. "But… Eun-sang, really? The boy from California was _Choi Young-do_? Are you serious?"

"Why did you think he was so interested in her in the first place?" Rachel reasoned.

"Eun-sang told you and not me? What?" Bo-na cried. "What happened to be being best friends?"

"She didn't have to tell me, I figured it out myself."

"Yah, stop fighting, you two," Eun-sang admonished, still sprawled out on the bed and staring at the ceiling. "My situation is a _little_ worse right now."

"Maybe he was a little surprised after today. I don't think I've ever seen you that loud in public since third grade when you yelled at the director of the school play," Bo-na giggled, before turning serious again. "Maybe he'll leave you alone for now. I have a feeling after today, he's going to rethink which girl he chose."

Eun-sang didn't have the heart to tell Bo-na that she was wrong. The text she had received from an unfamiliar number, just minutes after her departure from the cafeteria, proved otherwise.

_Rules are meant to be broken._

* * *

_Thanks for all your lovely reviews! Now that the show's writers have basically killed our ship, I'm going to try even harder to make this story as great as it can be. Your support means a lot to me._

_So, what happened in California? Is an arranged marriage not too far off? Those will be answered soon in the next few chapters, keke. But if there's anything else you want to know, leave it in your review!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disenchanted**

Chapter 3

* * *

_There is no such thing as "starting over."_

* * *

"Rules are meant to be broken, after all," he said, gazing at the orange and pink streaks of the sunset. The private beach, just behind his house, was quiet without the hordes of tourists they had blended into earlier that day. "You have to admit; today was fun."

"I think you and I have very different versions of fun," she teased, her laughter dissolving into the humid summer air. "Today was… decent, I guess."

"_Decent_?" he repeated, as if scandalized by the thought. "We're in Los Angeles, the City of Angels. Obviously, that means we had to be a little... _devilish_ in our actions."

"I miss Seoul," she sighed. "And _you_ made me lose my phone today, so I couldn't call my friends and ask where they were. I was looking forward to shopping on Rodeo Drive."

He casually stuck his hands into the pockets of his jeans, before an exaggerated expression of surprise came upon his face. He pulled out a white smartphone and offered it to her. "Oh! Look what I found."

"_Yah!_" She yelled, snatching it from his hands and standing up from her spot on the sand. "You…! I can't believe you!"

"Sorry," he shrugged. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides, I have to keep up my reputation for devilish actions, right?"

She could only sigh, before sitting down again next to him. "My last day in America, gone just like that…"

"You should be honored to have spent it with me," he drawled. "And at least it was _decent_ company."

"That is true," she agreed, before looking at him more meaningfully. "You're really lonely here, aren't you? You live alone in this big house, by yourself with only a few maids coming in and out. And that one weird blonde friend of yours…"

"Jay isn't a friend."

"What I _mean_ to say is," she spoke loudly, drowning his words out, "you knew it was my last day here, so you tricked me into spending it with you. I should've known."

"It's not that often you meet Koreans here that can afford to stay at the Beverly Hills Zeus Hotel," he shrugged. "Maybe it was fate that we bumped into each other."

"You never told me why you were there in the first place, either," she wondered, looking up to the darkening sky. "You have this house, which is much bigger and more comfortable than even the biggest penthouse suite; why…"

"We agreed, from the start," he interrupted, "to not tell any names, and certain things about our personal lives. This is one of them."

Just then, her phone vibrated in her palm. Knowing that it was probably Rachel or Bo-na wondering where the hell she was, she unlocked her phone and looked at the text message.

_Rules are meant to be broken._

Her blood ran cold. Something was very wrong here. Hadn't she seen this somewhere before…?

"Jagiya. Choi Eun-sang. Are you okay?" He asked, his tone one of concern. "Is the baby feeling unwell again? Maybe we should head back inside."

Jagiya? Baby? _Choi_ Eun-sang? "I thought we said no names…" Just then, a glinting object in her peripheral vision caught her eye. She looked down.

There was a diamond ring sitting on her finger.

In that moment, Cha Eun-sang finally woke up.

* * *

"It's a prediction of the future!" Lee Bo-na wailed the next day, as all three girls were on their way to school. "Cha Eun-sang, you officially set your life in stone. Fate has spoken!"

"Just yesterday you were saying that Choi Young-do would for sure back off," Rachel intoned, rolling her eyes.

"But… fate has spoken!_ Fate_!" Bo-na hissed. "You can't defy fate, I tell you."

Eun-sang sighed. Bo-na had, unfortunately, always been the most superstitious one out of all three girls. She attributed this fact to how Bo-na's fortune cookie had once declared she would meet the love of her life, and a few hours later, Eun-sang officially introduced her to Chan-young. And although it was amusing at times, this really did not fall into the category of one of those times.

Eun-sang was pretty sure it wasn't a sign from fate. However, the nightmare - yes, it was a _nightmare_; no way would she dream of that jerk! - made her realize how close to reality it could have been. She could easily marry Choi Young-do in the future and give birth to the most wealthy and powerful babies in Asia.

Actually, no. There was no way she would ever willingly submit to him.

As the car slowly pulled to a stop in front of Jeguk High School, Bo-na offhandedly asked, "Eun-sang-ah, you're doing the morning announcements today, right?"

* * *

"And again, good luck to everybody on their midterms! Signing off, this has been Cha Eun-sang."

"Good work, Eun-sang," Lee Hyo-shin acknowledged. "Can you lock the door behind you? I have to go talk to a teacher before the next class starts."

"Of course, Sunbae! I need to wait for Rachel anyway, we agreed to meet here," she replied, sitting down at the table.

"Tell her I said hi," Hyo-shin called on his way out. The metal doors shut behind him, and her attention immediately turned to the English notes she had in front of her. She had to excel in the tests coming up and maintain her top-three spot behind Chan-young and Rachel.

Just a few minutes later, the sound of the door opening broke her concentration. "You're early," she said, looking up from her notes-

- into Choi Young-do's unsmiling, serious face.

"You're not supposed to be here," she declared, immediately standing up. "You're not authorized to enter the broadcasting room."

"Rules are meant to be broken, right?" he recited, looking directly into her eyes.

"I told you, forget about it." Her fists clenched at her sides, as if itching to land a hit on him. She stepped "In my mind, it didn't happen -"

"- but it did," he interrupted. "It did, and now you spend every waking minute thinking of me, am I right?"

"Stop it." Eun-sang walked to the door, but stopped short when he roughly grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"Are you really so quick to stop playing, Cha Eun-sang?" His eyes gleamed, but she wasn't sure if it was playfulness or just pure malice. "We had so much fun in California, didn't we?" He looked up through the entrance window and swiftly locked the door of the room.

"What the - yah, Choi Young-do! Open the door!" Rachel's voice could be heard as she shook the door handle and banged on the cold metal. "Let go of her, you asshole!"

"Aish. Now I understand why they say sisters are so annoying," he called out to her, before once again turning his attention to Eun-sang. In his few seconds of distraction, she had managed to free himself from his grip and was glaring at him.

"I'm calling Yoon Chan-young!" Rachel yelled through the door. "You better unlock that door before he gets here!"

"Choi Young-do," Eun-sang said coldly. "What do you really want from me? We're different people from who we pretended to be in America."

"Hm." He stared at her for a second, before shaking his head. "Why are you so scared of me, Cha Eun-sang?

"I'm not scared of you," she defended. "That's just ridiculous."

"Then why are you pushing me away? Why do we have to start over when we can start where we left off?" he asked, smirking devilishly. God, she wanted to smack it off of him so badly.

"What you did yesterday wasn't starting where we left off. That was a declaration of _war_. Why are you trying to fight against me? What are you trying to do?"

"You think I'm just going to tell you outright?" Just then, the door unlocked and Chan-young and Rachel both marched inside. Rachel latched on to Eun-sang's arm and pulled her away quickly, but not before Young-do's final words:

"You look like you could use a little more fun!"

* * *

She didn't talk to him for the rest of the week, which was a good thing, considering the lengths she had gone to in order to avoid him entirely.

Well.

Okay, so she hadn't avoided him _entirely_. After all, they were in the same class. She could feel him staring at the back of her head through every single lecture. Their lockers were situated in the same hallway. She'd caught a glimpse of him at the gala she attended Thursday night with the rest of her family. And she saw him, without fail, every night in her sleep.

(_Nightmares_, not dreams.)

But now it was Friday after school, and a group of them were hanging out in Myung-soo's workshop. It had been a while since Eun-sang had spent her free time outside the little trio that consisted of her, Rachel, and Bo-na. And while they were best friends, it didn't mean that they didn't have other friends as well.

Eun-sang looked up from her copy of this week's _The Economist_, unnerved by the relative silence of the room aside from the ZE:A song playing softly over the speakers. Myung-soo was looking over the pictures he had developed, standing next to the table and holding the photos up the light while dancing along to the music and mouthing the lyrics. Bo-na was helping Ye-sol run through her lines for the acting audition she had the next day. Chan-young was, for once, separated from his girlfriend and studying in the corner so that he could maintain his first place position. Rachel had gone home early - RS International was having an event tomorrow, and CEO Lee had insisted that Rachel take part in the preparations.

Suddenly, the door to the workshop beeped, and everyone turned to look at the entering newcomer.

"Yah, why is it so quiet in here? You guys weren't talking about me, were you?" Young-do grinned, tossing his motorcycle helmet onto the table and scattering Myung-soo's pile of pictures. He glared before bending down and picking them up.

"Why would we want to talk about you?" Bo-na sniffed, looking away.

"Because I'm attractive, smart, rich," he started to list, ticking away at his fingers, "funny, witty, rebellious -"

"Let's not forget modest," Eun-sang muttered under her breath. Her words were meant for no one but herself, but unfortunately, he heard her and laughed.

"How could we forget that? And -" he fell silent when he realized who he was talking to, his face twisting into his trademark smirk again. "Ah, look who we have here? Cha Eun-sang has come to play in the lion's den?"

"It's Myung-soo's place, not yours," she scoffed, boredly flipping a page in her magazine. "And I've been coming here much longer than you have. Forget it."

"But Myung-soo and I are like siblings, right?" he said, carelessly throwing an arm over Myung-soo's shoulder. "What's his is mine."

Myung-soo's reaction, a second too late after his initial confusion, was to smile cutely and flutter his lashes. Eun-sang couldn't help but giggle into her hand. "That's right, oppa! And since yours is mine too, you'll let me ride your bike from now on, right?"

Young-do hastily retracted his arm from Myung-soo's shoulders and glared. "Are you crazy? No way in hell."

Myung-soo shrugged and turned back to the photos in his hands. "That's okay, anyway. I don't need your bike to get all the girls."

"What girls?" Chan-young asked teasingly, setting his schoolwork down and moving his chair closer to the other occupants of the room.

"Yah, Yoon Chan-young, like you have room to say anything!" Myung-soo pointed directly at him. "Lee Bo-na is the only girlfriend you've ever had."

"I _better_ be," Bo-na chimed in. The slight threatening edge to her voice was noticeable.

Ye-sol added, "Myung-soo, you've never even had a real girlfriend. You just go out partying every night; those girls don't count."

"I _have_ had a girlfriend before!" Myung-soo cried out, as if offended anyone would think otherwise. "Eun-sang and I dated, even!"

"_What_?" Now Young-do was the confused one. "You two dated?" His eyes darted back and forth between Myung-soo and Eun-sang, as if trying to visualize a relationship beween the two and recalculating his own actions.

Eun-sang could only roll her eyes. "Can you even call that dating? We didn't even kiss, Myung-soo!"

The boy in question pouted. "It still counts! We went on dates, therefore we dated."

"Hold on a minute," Young-do said dangerously. "When did this happen?"

The room was deathly silent. Even Myung-soo, with his cheerful attitude, seemed to have caught on the palpable tension. "The first four months of ninth grade…"

"Why does it even matter to you?" Eun-sang burst out, standing up from her chair and tossing her magazine onto the table. "None of us even knew you back then. You weren't part of our lives, and so you don't get to have an opinion about it. Okay? God." She grabbed her backpack and marched out the door, her head held up high.

It wasn't until she was standing outside, without her driver to take her home, that she realized she probably shouldn't have done that.

* * *

"Eun-sang, how are you?" Myung-soo's mom cooed at her the next day. Eun-sang had to stop herself from sighing exasperatedly at the woman. After the brief non-relationship she and Myung-soo had been involved in, his mother hadn't given up hope that they might one day reunite. It would be a big jump in social classes, after all, for a son of two prominent lawyers to marry into the Jeguk Group.

Too bad she didn't know about her son's rather _cheap_ taste in girls.

Eun-sang smiled politely back at her. "I'm fine, Mrs. Jo. How are you, thought? I heard you've been exceptionally busy, with the firm representing Samsung now."

"It's been difficult, of course, but still manageable," the older woman waved off. "I have to go talk to Ms. Lee for a second, but keep in mind that the offer for dinner with our family is open anytime. I'm sure Myung-soo would love to have you around." She departed quickly, intent on getting to Rachel's mom before another trophy wife descended upon her.

Today's event - the one Rachel had been roped into helping prepare for - was the release of RS' new winter line, and only the cream of the crop had been invited. Because CEO Lee had already agreed to outfit the Jeguk High camping trip this year, she had decided that the fall line would be released on a normal timeline, while the winter one would be released a few weeks later, with only the students and their parents attending the release party for the latter.

Events like these were outside of school and strictly optional, of course, so there were actually very few male parents or students attending - but for people like Cha Eun-sang, it was practically compulsory. The Chairwoman was also somewhere at the event, although Eun-sang had yet to see her.

"Guess what I did to help set up for the event," Rachel said dully, appearing by her side. "Actually, don't. You won't be able to guess it anyway."

"Setting up the tables and chairs?" Eun-sang teased her friend. "Or maybe, stuffing the party favors in those tiny little bags?"

"Haha, very funny," she frowned. "There's a reason why we pay people to do that. No, I literally had to miss Choi Young-do's reported _breakdown_ yesterday because my mom wanted me to help choose what _poses_ the models should use. _Poses_!"

"It wasn't a breakdown. Where did you hear that?" Eun-sang said, grabbing a flute of champagne from a passing waiter.

"Bo-na told me."

"And you trusted her word? Lee Bo-na exaggerates everything."

"I know. She told me he was so angry, he started choking on his own spit and Chan-young had to perform the Heimlich." Both girls rolled their eyes at that; Bo-na always had a flair for the dramatic, especially when it painted her boyfriend in a heroic light.

"Eun-sang!" Rachel's mother swept towards the duo and enveloped the girl into a warm hug. "It feels like too long since I've last seen you. You never come over anymore."

"It just worked out that way, Ms. Lee," Eun-sang replied smiling. "I promise I'll come visit more often though."

To be honest, Rachel's mother was probably one of her most favorite people in all of Korea. After the death of Eun-sang's mom, she had often spent time with Rachel after school at her house. CEO Lee was a gentle and kind woman at heart, and was always trying to balance the priorities of her company and her daughter.

"Anyway, what do you think of the new line?" Rachel's mom pulled back, and turned to survey the models on stage. "I was a bit unsure about this season. You know I place a lot of weight on you teenagers' opinions."

"I love it. Make sure you save the bright red jacket for me," she said half-jokingly.

"I'll make sure of it," the older woman smiled back. "Oh, by the way, Rachel, have you told Eun-sang yet?"

"I was just about to inform her, mother," Rachel said stiffly.

"Eun-sang, you know…" she leaned forward and lowered her voice. "I'm really trying to make an effort with Young-do, now that I'm going to be his stepmom. He hasn't had a lot of female influence in his life and I really want to be able to spend time together as a family, but it's been really awkward with just him and Rachel paired up together." At this point, Rachel gave a delicate snort. You don't say? "I thought that… well, because you're practically part of the family, you wouldn't mind coming to our family lunch tomorrow? Dong-wook is working overtime so it'll just be us."

Eun-sang's throat suddenly felt dry. "Have you… mentioned it to him yet?"

"Of course! In fact, he was the one that listed you as one his mutual friends with Rachel. I didn't know you knew each other at all, but it's so much more convenient this way, too."

She didn't want to agree. She really didn't. But when she thought of all the times Ms. Lee had treated her as if she was her own daughter - inviting her over for meals after her mother's death, dressing both her and Rachel up, helping her through the first few trials of the life of a teenage girl - she didn't have the heart to say no.

Her mouth opened before she could stop herself.

"Wonderful!" Rachel's mother trilled, smiling wildly. Rachel elbowed Eun-sang in the ribs and shot her a look of confusion.

After the older woman drifted away to talk to the other attendees and Rachel had lectured her once again ("_I'm trying to help you, you know! Call me when you get home, we have to choose the perfect outfit for you._"), her phone buzzed in her pocket.

**From: Do Not Answer**

**14:26 PM**

_When dealt a losing hand, change the rules of the game._

* * *

_Oh my god. Choi Young-do in this week's episodes, guys. My heart broke for him. And seeing the Episode 17 spoilers, it looks like he's not getting another chance._

_Can you guys tell how much I love Myung-soo? That one scene with the reporters in Episode 16 - I almost died from laughter. Park Hyung-sik is so cute. And good at singing. And dancing. "Aftermath" by ZE:A (which was the one pop song that was playing when Choi Young-do complained about Myung-soo's happy music in Episode 8) has been replayed on my iPod about 100 times by now. _

_Actually, when I was writing this chapter, the scene between our two main characters got a little more argumentative and heated (and a lot more deep and heartfelt) until I realized we're only in chapter 3. I'm just as impatient as you all are xD_

_Weekly updates are pretty rare for me, so we'll see how long this lasts. It would probably be a faster process if I could get a beta as well, so if any of you are up for it, let me know!_


	4. Chapter 4

**Disenchanted**

Chapter 4

* * *

_The past can only hurt you if you let it. _

* * *

"I can't trust you to make any decisions for yourself, can I?" Rachel intoned, putting her hands on er hips and staring at Eun-sang's walk-in closet. Bright colors and expensive fabrics exploded across the racks, and yet all of them still had price tags. Only a small corner of the room, with a Jeguk uniform, a few pairs of jeans, and an array of denim and cotton, looked used at all.

"I didn't buy any of them, if that makes you feel any better," Eun-sang sighed, sprawled out on her bed again. She'd been woken up by an agitated Rachel that morning, who had insisted that she needed to prepare for the lunch date they had with Rachel's mom and Young-do.

"That's because_ I_ bought most of these for you!" she yelled. "Really, how can the heiress to the Jeguk Group not have a fashion sense?"

"Because I have you to pick out my outfits for me," the other girl cheekily replied. "Besides, it's just lunch with your mom and Choi Young-do, stop making a fuss."

"Um, hello? Choi Young-do being there is the whole point. You have to look your best to be your best. Let him know what he's messing with." Rachel pulled out a hot-pink, frilly skirt and stared at it in disgust. "Okay, I don't take credit for this one."

"It was a joke gift from Won-oppa last year," Eun-sang waved off. "So what you're saying is, I need to scare him off and he'll leave me alone?"

"Can anyone scare Choi Young-do off?" Rachel asked, rolling her eyes. "Just make the message clear that you're above his petty games, and he'll stop eventually."

* * *

"Young-do, how is school for you this year? I hope the transition hasn't been too difficult," Rachel's mom said cheerfully as she placed her fork down. If she, too, felt the palpable tension in the room, her tone didn't reflect it.

"I think school will be... _interesting, _to say the least." His eyes didn't leave Eun-sang as she quietly picked at her food.

"Well, with all the school you've been skipping lately, let's hope you don't fail," Rachel sniped from beside her.

"You're skipping school?" CEO Lee asked, her eyes turning back to Young-do. "You can't do that now, Young-do. It's not playtime anymore."

"Who are _you_ to tell me what to do?" he gritted out, dropping his knife and fork onto his plate with a loud _clang. _

"Don't talk to my mom like that." Rachel cut in furiously.

The room fell into quietude again. Eun-sang couldn't help but sneak a peek at him - he was agitated and tense in his chair, his gaze intense as always. He obviously wanted to leave, and honestly, she couldn't really blame him.

Finally, Rachel's mother broke the silence. "Young-do, now that I'm going to marry your father, I really hope that we can form at least a friendship... you have to understand I don't want to replace your mother - "

"_Don't talk about her_!" he yelled, standing up from his seat and throwing his napkin on the table. "You don't know anything about her, and you can't understand, so stop trying! I may not be able to control this marriage but I _can _control our family relationships, and I can tell you that I don't want _any."_

Before he could leave the private dining room, however, Eun-sang stood up from her seat.

"Yah." Her voice shook from anger as she clenched her fists at her sides. "Apologize. Now."

"Why are you even here?" he shot back coolly. "Stay out of our family matters, Cha Eun-sang."

"_This _is my family too," she defended. "CEO Lee is the most caring, wonderful woman I know. She's been a mother to me my whole life, and Rachel, my sister. They're under Jeguk's protection. As far as I'm concerned, you're the one intruding on this lunch. Apologize."

"What about your own mother, _Cha _Eun-sang?" Young-do sneered. Her blood froze with shock; was he really going to go that low? "Doesn't it bother you that your own father thought your mother was such a disgrace that he wouldn't even let you take the family name? What power does a _Cha _really have in the Jeguk Group, passed down through generations of Kims?"

She couldn't speak. She couldn't _breathe. _Of all the things she thought Choi Young-do was capable, she didn't think he could cut her at the most tender spot. He was such a hypocrite, refusing to speak about his own mother but using hers as the first ammunition in his arsenal? How _dare _he?

The silence was deafening - even he seemed to realize the mistake he had just made, opening his mouth again -

"Get out."

All three teenagers in the room turned to look at CEO Lee, who was still sitting quietly at the table, her eyes cast downward at the napkin in her lap.

Her eyes flashed upwards at Young-do. "I said, _GET OUT!_"_  
_

It wasn't util he was safely out of her line of sight, and the two other women had embraced her, that Cha Eun-sang felt the tears on her cheeks.

It had been too long since she last cried.

* * *

The phone vibrated in her pocket just as she was opening her locker, just as the cursed mobile device had been going off all weekend - and even this morning. She knew who it was, but for some reason, she always checked anyway.

**Call from: Do Not Answer**

In the beginning, she'd been courteous and let it ring through voicemail. After the eighth call, however, she had started to just swipe the red ignore button on the screen. Yes, it was rude, but he deserved that, and more.

Rachel had believed his interest in her to be one of his petty games. But oh, how wrong she'd been. All it seemed he wanted to do was to break her down, tear her apart and steal her very soul.

He wanted to _devour _her.

If she was the Queen, he was the Devil.

And speaking of the Devil, she closed her locker door to face him.

Choi Young-do looked down at her phone, still buzzing in the palm of her hand. "_Do Not Answer_? Is that really the name you have for me? What's Myung-soo's name in your contacts?"

"It's 'Sweetiecakes,'" she said coolly, shifting the books she was holding and look him in the eye. She couldn't afford to be afraid of him anymore, not after what he had done. And really, what did she have to be afraid of? He had already hurt her in the worst possible way; there was nothing else that could top that, and he probably knew it.

"Change mine to that," he smirked, leaning against the locker. "Or I'll steal your phone and change it for you."

"Get out of my way, Choi Young-do. We're done here."

"We're not done until I say we are. You should have realized that by now."

"You may think your words rule this school," Eun-sang said dangerously, "but you're nothing, Choi Young-do. In these halls, and in this world, _I_ am the Jeguk heiress._ I_ am the Queen here, and everyone else is dirt. Don't kid yourself into thinking it works any other way."

She pushed passed him and didn't bother to look back.

* * *

Eun-sang and Bo-na were walking out of the broadcasting room when a student rushed past them, telling another that the midterm exam grades had finally been posted. The two heiresses looked at each other meaningfully before quickening their pace. The posted grades were surrounded by a horde of people, and Chan-young was already standing on the outside of the masses.

"Eun-sang-ssi, congratulations," one of the students called out. "Beating Yoon Chan-young is an accomplishment for sure!"

And sure enough, as more and more students realized that the Jeguk heiress had arrived and cleared a path for her, she saw her name at the top of the rankings, for the first time.

"Cha Eun-sang! How dare you steal away Chan-young's first place spot!" Bo-na teased. "I think I'm supposed to be mad at you for this."

"Chan-young, it looks you're going to have to study harder next time," Rachel, who had just arrived, added from beside her. "Is this really the first time you've lost?"

"Yah, my second place still trumps your third," Chan-young pouted. "Don't be so harsh on me. Eun-sang was just too good this time around."

It really was true - the only reason why she'd done so well, Eun-sang knew, was because she had studied incredibly hard in an effort to forget about Choi Young-do. He hadn't called her at all since that day by the lockers, and apparently he hadn't been attending school for the past few days after the test.

She swore it was subconsciously, but she felt her eyes search for his name on the list, trailing down to 100th place.

_100th place._

She knew his IQ from her father's reports. He was undeniably intelligent, more so than 99.9% of the population if her estimations were correct. What was he doing in 100th place? Even if he hadn't studied, he probably should have been in the top 5 anyway. Did he simply decide to fill in all the wrong answers? And why?

At that moment, her phone buzzed.

**From: Do Not Answer**

**12:47 PM**

_Let's have dinner._

Instead of replying, Eun-sang shut her phone off.

* * *

A few hours later, she turned her phone on in the library after school, noting the 5 missed calls she had gotten from him during the breaks between classes. Just then, it rang again.

"Stop calling me." Her first words were direct and to the point, leaving no room for argument - or so she thought.

"But that would take the fun out of things," he replied on the other end. His tone was playful, for some reason. "Besides, I want to eat jjajangmyun, but they only deliver for two servings."

Eun-sang rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair. "Buy two and eat one. You certainly have the money for it."

"I can't waste food," he gasped, exaggerating his scandalized tone. "Especially not in this economy."

"Then ask Myung-soo; it's an improvement from going to the clubs every night," Eun-sang sighed, twirling her pencil in her free hand.

"Why would I ask Myung-soo if I would just keep wishing that someone else was sitting with me instead?"

"I'm not going to waste my time with you. I have better things to be doing."

"I highly doubt that… haven't you seen Joon-young yet?" Young-do's tone, if it was possible, was even more mischievous than before.

She looked up to find Moon Joon-young - the boy in the cafeteria, she remembered - standing awkwardly in front of her. Looking closely, she observed the sheen of sweat on his forehead, and they was his hands shook.

"You see," Young-do kept on explaining over the phone, "the two of my friends in the cafeteria didn't appreciate getting their clothes dirty, so they're suing Joon-young here for doing it."

"Yah, Choi Young-do," she spoke angrily into the phone, "everyone in this school knows it wasn't him. Your stupid little games won't work."

"But in a court of law, who's the judge going to believe - the powerful heir to Zeus Hotels, who may or may not have a bribe up his sleeve, or the poor social welfare student with the outrageous claim that the _Jeguk heiress_ did the crime herself?"

She didn't have an answer to that, because she knew he was right. No one was going to believe she did it - and she couldn't very well come out with it herself. It would ruin the Jeguk image and she'd probably be arranged into a marriage right away so that her future husband could control her "wildness."

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry," Joon-young whispered quietly, still standing in front of her.

It wasn't his fault. It was hers, and she recognized that. He had taken the abuse quietly; she had gone and made a mess of things. Eun-sang gritted her teeth. "What do you want, Choi Young-do?"

"Let's have dinner, and my friends will drop the case."

"You know, I wonder when people will want to voluntarily spend time with you without being threatened."

She swore his laugh sounded like the Devil's. "There's a car outside the gates waiting for you."

* * *

She'd expected to be dropped off at one of the luxurious mansions that befitted a family like his - she had even prepared herself for the fact that he might live in her very own neighborhood. Instead, the car brought her to the Seoul branch of Zeus Hotels, the building's many floors rising high into the air.

Even though she had visited many times, played in the lobby with Rachel as little girls when their parents attended conferences in the next hall over, came to see Won everyday when he threw a temper tantrum and moved out for a few months - she was intimidated. Every step she took, with the_ click-clack_ of her Louboutin heels, was another step closer to _him_.

_What the hell was she doing?_

"Miss Cha, Young Master is waiting for you in his room," the bellhop at the elevator said, handing her a slip of paper with the room number, and a keycard.

Eun-sang took the card carefully, holding it gingerly between her fingers as she entered the elevator and pressed the button of his floor. She fingered her name on the card - he had gotten it engraved especially for her, that_ bastard_ - before throwing it across the elevator space.

Staring at it would only make her nervous.

* * *

"I _did_ get you the keycard for a reason, you know," Young-do drawled as he opened the door. "You didn't have to knock."

"I accidentally threw it out before I arrived," she said airily, inspecting her nails as if utterly bored wit his presence. "It's probably for the best, anyway; if anyone found the card, they'd ask questions."

"Then I would just answer that you're my girlfriend," he replied cheekily, standing out of the way so that she could enter the room. "I mean, obviously you want to be. That's why you kept the card in the first place, right?"

"Yah, Choi Young-do, are you stupid, deaf or both?" she asked angrily. "I said I threw it out. Of course, 100th place wouldn't be able to understand that."

"Ah, but you're lying." He edged closer to her, and she backed up slowly to keep the distance between them the same. "I don't appreciate liars."

"I'm not lying." Her back suddenly hit the door behind her, and her breathing quickened as Young-do approached her with a glint in his eyes. Once he was just mere inches away, she quickly squeezed her eyes shut.

He towered over her, leaning down and breathing against her ear. "Cha Eun-sang, who knew you were such a sinner…" She didn't realize she had stopped breathing until her lungs began to scream for air.

A brief rustle later, and she felt him move away from her. She cautiously opened her eyes to find Young-do with the keycard - okay fine, she had kept it, but only because it would be useful later! - in his hand, smiling as if he'd just had a satisfying meal.

He had stolen it from her blazer pocket! Eun-sang fumed silently, crossing her arms. There was no denying that he was attractive, but did he really have to use it to his advantage?

He tucker the card into his pocket before smirking at her. "Come on, let's go."

"What?" She stared at him in disbelief. "I thought you said you were ordering jjajangmyun."

"I said they deliver for two servings, not that they were delivering to me," he smarmed. "I thought first place would be able to tell the difference between those two phrases."

"Why am I even here," she muttered, turning back and unlocking the hotel room door. The farther away she was from him, the better.

"Food tastes better with company," he responded brightly, following her out as the door shut behind them. Eun-sang walked as slowly as possible, but Young-do managed to chuckle and walk behind her nevertheless. Roughly, she pushed the button for the elevator and watched as the numbers above it changed.

"So I guess this is going to count as our first date," he joked, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I better make sure to remember this forever, so you don't yell at me when on our anniversaries."

Before she could shrug his arm off, the elevator _ding_ed as its doors opened. Eun-sang sighed, preparing herself for 30 seconds with Choi Young-do in an enclosed area, and turned -

- to see a flabbergasted Rachel, eyes wide open in shock, staring at them.

* * *

_Sorry for the wait, my readers. Real life got in the way - and on that note, guess who was accepted into college? _

_I made a tumblr for this fic, for the sole purpose of interacting more with media. Chapters will be posted here first, however. I've made a few edits, but I'm also hoping to make gifs from this story, so please go check it out! The link is on my profile._

_I'm so glad that there are more Heirs fics now, both on this site and on tumblr. I guess that finale really angered us YoungSang fans. If you haven't read "A Little Fall of Rain" by balladofyoungdo, please do - it has to be one my favorites right now. I guess these author's notes are becoming more like a recommendation corner, but that's fine by me. _

_There's also a Chinese translation of this fic by Duan - I don't have a link yet, but I'll post it on my profile when I do. Chinese happens to be my second language (although I'm horrible at reading and writing in it) so I was very excited to hear about the translation. _

_Let's hope the next chapter comes a bit quicker. Any thoughts and comments are always appreciated!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_Some things are destined to be - it just takes a few tries to get there._

* * *

_Eun-sang stopped short in her tracks in the middle of the hotel lobby, in both confusion and anxiety. "What the - what are you doing here?" she questioned, flustered by his very presence._

_He stood up from his seat on the sofa and shoved his hands in his pockets, smirking at her. He didn't seem to be offended by her question - in fact, he was rather amused. "You were the one that wanted me to stay last night -"_

_"I was __**drunk**__," she hissed, shifting her purse from one shoulder to the other, before sighing. "I'm sorry; let's start over. When I met you yesterday night at the bar, I wasn't in my right mind. I'm sorry for causing you trouble."_

_"If I didn't want to bring you back here, I wouldn't have." She visibly sagged in relief at the statement, before he opened his mouth again. "I take payment in favors."_

_"What?"_

_"Yesterday night, I drove you home from the bar, parked and carried you in after you fell asleep," he started to ennumerate, ticking off his fingers, "charmed the concierge into giving me your room number, had to search your purse for your key card, and then finally made it into the suite. And after that, you begged me to stay with you." His eyes glinted with mischief. "I think I deserve payment for all of those things."_

_"Are you serious?" she asked in disbelief. "What the hell? Are you insane or something? I can pay you off for yesterday -"_

_"You seem to have a lot of money," he noted. "If it was otherwise, you wouldn't be staying in a Zeus Hotel." His expression twisted, and for the first time since the conversation had started, she felt a pang of fear. "I don't take things that are abundant, because they hold less value. I take," he declared as he edged closer to her, "what is most precious to you."_

_She stood there silently, for a few long moments, trying to analyze her way out of the situation. He couldn't do anything serious to her, really - she was sure her father had sent over people to follow her every move, even if she was across the Pacific Ocean. As long as she had that protection, unwanted or otherwise, he couldn't hurt her physically._

_Mentally, though? Emotionally?_

_Rachel was leaving to visit her fiance. Bo-na had gone off to meet some producers in Hollywood, with another representative of Mega Entertainment. That left her in Los Angeles, lost and alone… and for once, with time to spare._

_"You haven't left yet?" Rachel was heading towards them, facing her directly. Her expression turned into one of confusion as she spotted the back of his figure. "Ah, hello. Did I interrupt something? Who are you?"_

_"The first favor can be granted right now," Eun-sang quickly said as she grabbed the stranger's hand and made for the hotel doors, ignoring Rachel's calls from behind._

* * *

"What's going on here?" Rachel asked, looking from one face to the other in both confusion and anger. "Eun-sang, are you crazy? Coming here, of all places?"

"Don't be jealous, sister," Young-do laughed, throwing his arm around Eun-sang, who was too horrified to say anything. "I already spend too much time with you, so why can't I spend some time with Eun-sang here?"

"Don't do this, Choi Young-do," the RS heiress warned. "If all you can do is hurt her, how can I let you near her? How can _you_ put her through this?"

"Because, she came to me," he said smugly. "Something like… she became a flower, right before my eyes."

"Not of my own accord!" Eun-sang defended, looking at her friend. "He threatened me; what was I supposed to do?"

"You threatened her?" Rachel screeched. Inwardly, Eun-sang couldn't help but be slightly amused by her friend's aggressiveness. Rachel had always been one to fiercely protect the people closest to her.

"Aish, so noisy," Young-do winced. "No wonder they say little sisters are so annoying. Just let oppa go on his date, okay? I will bring the little lamb back, intact."

"Intact, but not alive," Eun-sang muttered under her breath.

"I came here to tell you to do something about the family photoshoot, but I think I might just steal your _date _instead," Rachel shot back. "I don't trust you with her."

"The family photoshoot? I'm working on it," he dismissed. "Just show up on Saturday, and watch the drama unfold. It'll be like watching a show without even having to pay a subscription. And, as much as you want to think otherwise, Cha Eun-sang is a human being that can make her own decisions. She agreed to eat with me, so we'll be going now."

"Call me tonight," Eun-sang added quickly, before her friend could open her mouth in protest. In a flash, she dragged him into the elevator before furiously pressing the button for the lobby.

"_Yah, Cha Eun-sang!_" Rachel yelled, angry that she was being ignored. The sound of her displeasure, however, faded as the elevator doors closed shut.

Eun-sang stood as far away as possible from him, backing herself into the corner of the elevator and staring as the floor number quickly declined.

She done almost the exact same thing that she had in California, all of those months ago. Acting on impulse, turning her back on her friends. She had forced her life into routine out of necessity, as a coping mechanism for the world she was born into. The life she had been fated to live. She had rules and order, and she didn't break them. Ever.

_So why did he always make her lose control?_ Why did she break every single rule she had, for him?

Over the years, she had learned to measure her comfort zone in terms of power. Being the daughter of the Jeguk Group meant that people deferred to her, and that was what she preferred. She didn't flaunt her wealth, but she liked the feeling of being able to hold something over their heads. Strolling down the hallways of Jeguk High, there was no doubt in any student's mind that she was the Queen.

With Choi Young-do, however, she felt absolutely powerless in every single situation. He was the first person she met that didn't care about Jeguk. When they had been in America, he'd quickly agreed to the condition of remaining nameless, although she now realized he had probably known all along, even before he proposed the agreement. Of course he did; it was exactly what an elementary-school kid would do.

"I didn't think deja vu would be that sexy," he drawled, breaking the silence. "We should do it more, sometime."

"Re-enact every California scene? Yeah, you'd like that," Eun-sang scoffed.

"You know me so well," he returned. The smirk was back again, but for some reason, it took her anxiety off-edge. It was almost a comfort, seeing it reappear.

She followed him as they exited the elevator and made it through the hotel doors. When she spotted the orange motorcycle waiting for them, however, she stopped and merely gave him a dry look.

Young-do smiled. "California re-enactment scene, take one."

* * *

"You totally planned the motorcycle thing out," Eun-sang grumbled as she threw the helmet as hard as she could to him and slowly stood up, planting her feet firmly on the asphalt. "You know I hate that thing more than anything else."

"Maybe, but I like the feeling of your arms around me too much to not do it," he replied, smirking. She couldn't tell if he was joking, or if he really meant it.

With him, she never knew.

Eager to change the subject, she gestured around them. "So where are you taking me for this _date_? I'm not quite impressed yet."

"There." He pointed across the street at the convenience store on the corner.

"Of all the places you could have chosen…"

"I'm not going to impress you with money," he countered, almost echoing the words he had spoken in the lobby of the Beverly Hills hotel. "It's not precious to me or you." He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arm around her waist, before walking across the street.

"I've… never been inside a convenience store before," she admitted, peering into the window. "I never needed to, and my father doesn't like me going off to places alone."

"I was counting on it."

He bought two bowls of ramen - he promised he'd take her to eat jjangjangmyun another time - and they settled to eat at an outside table, facing each other. Eun-sang savored every bite of her noodles - it was considered "commoner's" food and not allowed in the Kim household - but she was so absorbed in her meal that when she looked up, she was started to see Choi Young-do staring at her, his chin propped up by his hand.

She quickly looked down back at her food to avoid his gaze. She would surrender, if only for a short time. If only to spend an afternoon with him and remind herself of California. If only to let her indulge in him for a few short hours, so that she could relieve him from her system.

"The day my mother left, she tried to meet with me here." His voice was lowered, darker than she had ever heard it. "I was in middle school. But the friend she tried to reach me through… we had a fight. By the time I got here, she was gone. Forever."

She understood. He was opening up to her, showing her that he trusted her by divulging this information. What he had been so defensive and protective of, during that lunch with the Yoos - he purposely chose that topic to undo the damage he had done. This was his way of apologizing to her about his remarks about her mother.

Eun-sang thought of her mother - a beautiful, bright-eyed lady who had faded with imprisonment - and sighed. "It's hard when people leave us, because we lose part of ourselves with that person. But even more so, I wondered - why wasn't I enough for my mother? Why couldn't I be the one that tied her back to Earth, that brought light and joy into her life? Our family became distant. She was depressed and I didn't know because I didn't even see her enough. And then the accident happened, and all I could feel was guilt…" she trailed off, realizing that she might have gone too far. "I just meant… you understand, right? That feeling. Why your mother didn't stay for you, or at least wait until you had arrived."

"Because freedom is worth more," he concluded, looking off into the distance. "Her freedom meant she had to sacrifice her relationship with her son, so she did it and didn't look back. In the end, no matter how much love there is, even between a mother and a child, there can only be hurt."

"It is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all," she quoted softly, glancing down and inspecting her hands.

"I'm tired of the hurt," he suddenly said. "Cha Eun-sang, you have to understand my heart and what it wants."

Her guard immediately rose at the change in topic. "Fine. What does your heart say it wants?"

"I want you to answer your phone when I call. Talk to me when I'm talking to you. Say hi when you see me," he listed, before deliberately swallowing.

She'd never witnessed him so completely vulnerable before.

"Once you say those words, you can't take them back," she replied. "It can't be the game it used to be."

"Was it ever really a game? From the moment I set eyes on you in that bar, something pulled me towards you. Was it fate? Possibly. Attraction? More likely." The fire in his gaze was burning brightly, and her cheeks warmed from the heat. "You set up the rules, but I think I'm going to break the first one. Is that okay with you?"

* * *

The moment she stepped inside the house, a maid immediately stepped forward and deeply. "Young Miss, the Chairman requested your presence in his study." The maid bowed deeply again, and Eun-sang nodded and dismissed her.

She walked slowly to the other room, taking the time to calm down her rapidly beating heart from her previous encounter. Smoothing out her skirt and her hair, she knocked twice on the large wooden door before opening it.

Kim Nam-joon was waiting for her in his chair, a sealed envelope sitting right in front of him on his desk. Eun-sang bowed before quietly taking a seat on the sofa, not meeting her father's gaze. Her father almost never bothered with her affairs. No doubt the Chairwoman had told him about Eun-sang's ranking, but that hardly merited a formal meeting in the study.

She had done something terribly, terribly wrong.

"Congratulations on first place, Eun-sang," he said formally with little emotion. "Your brother achieved it throughout all of his three years at Jeguk High School, and you've finally managed to beat Secretary Yoon's son. Well done." The tinge of sarcasm was barely noticeable, but it struck her deeply. She fought the urge to close her eyes and turn away. It had always been like this, hadn't it? A distant father, disappointed in having a daughter and determined to make her a prize that other companies fought for. She'd never live up to her brother, but then again, he was leading an empire. _She_ was just a girl.

And to Kim Nam-joon, a girl was nothing

She bowed her head low. "Thank you, father."

"But today, I will commend you for something else too."

He tossed the packet on his desk to her, nodding his head as a gesture to open it.

She gingerly picked the envelope up and moved her hand to the flap. Inwardly, she cringed as she observed her own trembling fingers, shaking of their own accord. She couldn't hide tem from her father.

Finally managing to undo the seal, she reached into the packet and took the first item out.

It was a picture of her and _him_, on the motorcycle earlier this afternoon.

Stunned, she dropped the envelope from her hands onto the floor; numerous other photos slipped out as well, displayed for her to see. Her, entering the hotel. Them, eating the ramen. Him, walking on campus.

Them, in the lobby of the Beverly Hills branch of Zeus Hotels. Her, pulling his hand and leading him away from Rachel. Them, eating pancakes at _Lou and Mickey's _in San Diego. Him, smiling at her as they walked along the beach -

She forced herself to look away. She couldn't bear to look any more. What other private moments had her father's employee captured? What else did her father know about?

And, more importantly, what did he want her to do about it?

"You've been spending more time with the Zeus heir." His voice cut through the tension in the room. "I was surprised. When it comes to arranged marriages, you are surprisingly rebellious." He sighed tiredly. "Of course, you get that from your mother's side. What a shame."

She said nothing, only looking straight ahead. She would not lose the last shred of dignity she desperately clung on to.

"I will personally meet with CEO Choi later this week. I will expect you to be present; you're old enough for it."

"I'm not ready to be engaged," she pleaded. She sounded pathetic, even to her own ears.

"You are seventeen years old," he declared, his voice rising. "You've shown interest in the boy. It will not be a marriage devoid of emotion. In this world, it's the best you can get. I held off on an arranged marriage for so many years, even with corporations begging at my feet. And now, we are working on the Zeus deal. They're set to rapidly expand with our help, and then we will reap the rewards. _This_ is your fate."

"I can't," she begged, her voice rasping. "Please. _Please_."

"It's not your decision to make." His tone was one of finality. "I can only praise your for having better taste than your brother. Jeon Hyun-joo will be getting an offer to study in Europe, soon."

Eun-sang had never walked out of that study more defeated.

* * *

_"We're going to set some rules if this is going to continue," she announced, setting her fork down on her plate. "Remember them carefully."_

_"More rules? I'm not a boundaries kind of person," he teased. "You should've thought about it more before you dragged me out of the hotel."_

_She ignored him. "Let's not exchange names. I like it better this way, okay? And besides, I'm returning to Korea soon. There is no need to get attached."_

_"Sounds reasonable, I guess."_

_"After this is over, we'll never contact each other again," she continued. "It'll be like… a midsummer night's dream. Gone in a flash."_

_"It'll be hard to contact each other without any names," he countered, rolling his eyes. "But yes, carry on."_

_"Oh, and rule number one, the most important one: don't fall in love. Okay?"_

_His laugh was both biting and charming. "Whoever you are, miss, you won't have to worry about that one on my part. With my stunning good looks, though, you might have a hard time following your own rule."_

_She scowled. "Fine. Rest assured, we won't have a problem."_

_"Falling in love, ha!" he chuckled again. "__**That's**__ a good one."_

* * *

_I'm so sorry for the wait, dear shippers. Thank you all for your patience! Yes, I got accepted to uni and I'm hoping to double major in psychology and economics. I'm not entirely sure I can go yet because the school is ridiculously expensive - one of the most expensive in the US - so I applied to other schools as well. I won't know exactly where I go until April, but I will be sure to let you all know when I have decided._

_Recently I've also been working on one-shots and prompt fills, so those also took up time, but they're fun and they also act as a great source of inspiration. You can always drop a prompt in the ask box of my tumblr (the link is in the profile), although I may not get to them very quickly. Rest assured, I will eventually finish all those prompts..._

_Tumblr is also where I post updates about my writing, and how far I am into chapters, so if you're curious you can check there!_

_So this chapter, we got a glimpse of California, a softer Choi Young-do, and an arranged marriage? What do you all think? Please leave a review and let me know!_


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